The Phenomenology of Complex PTSD in Adolescence

Posttraumatic stress disorder and complex posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD and C-PTSD) can present at any age. Compared to younger children and adults, adolescents who are undergoing critical developmental changes in self-concept and socio-emotional abilities have heightened vulnerabilities to the impact of traumatic life events. C-PTSD may be often missed in adolescence, for depressive, anxiety, and even personality disorders and this deprives the adolescent of specific trauma and attachment focused psychotherapeutic interventions that are primary and essential for management. In this article, we present three case summaries to illustrate the phenomenology of C-PTSD in adolescence. The implication is for clinicians to be aware of, and hone their skills in the identification of this disorder in young people.